


Lightened Shadow

by Siver



Category: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:01:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27274612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siver/pseuds/Siver
Summary: It's hard to lose oneself in one's thoughts when there's a playful young cat around
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21
Collections: Trick or Treat Exchange 2020





	Lightened Shadow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Phlyarologist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phlyarologist/gifts).



It was getting darker which didn’t matter to either of the figures moving quietly through the park. Leaves were starting to fall and there was likely a chillier edge to the air, but that too mattered little. A leaf blew past and the kitten chased after it, bouncing through the wilting grass and losing that particular leaf only to pounce on another.

Yomiel stopped by the fountain. It happened right in this area. He could still see the exact spot he’d stood. She’d been around there until he’d grabbed her and they stood… there in that patch of grass. And then it ended. Of course there was no sign of such events now. The fountain still flowed and gurgled in the exact same way it had that day. The same odd round statue still loomed above over all. Everything changed that day and yet nothing had here. Now nothing changed for him either.

“Mrr?”

“Not now, Sissel.”

“Brrrr?”

Yomiel kept still, reminding himself once again to look down first. Sissel was obviously nearby and it wouldn’t be the first time he’d bumped him without knowing and only discovering so thanks to the kitten’s indignant mewing—always quickly forgiven—but he’d learned to always look first since.

It was a good thing he did this time. Sissel had reared up on his hind paws to paw at Yomiel’s leg and started kneading it by the look of it. There was a leaf in his mouth. Yomiel reached down, intending to scratch Sissel’s chin. Instead Sissel dropped the leaf into his hand.

“Uh, thanks?”

Sissel mewed and ran off once more, a black streak in the grass. Yomiel stared at the leaf before pocketing it. He paced away from the fountain with little desire to linger in that spot any longer. He’d lingered too much today as was in places… memories…

It wasn’t a reminder he’d wanted today. He’d lost himself in the crowd—just one more nameless, faceless person. He had not intended to come across a crime scene, but fate worked in its own cruel ways and there _he_ was. Still a detective, still there and _alive._ He watched as Detective Jowd directed officers and he watched as the man who had chased him down got to continue his life as if nothing had ever happened.

And then he found himself coming back to this park as if he could expect anything different here either. The world moved on without him; that was all there was to it. It was proven in the detective and it was proven here.

And yet, why? The world didn’t have to continue like this. Thoughts he’d once started to entertain came back. Why should the detective be allowed to continue on as normal? Why shouldn’t he suffer as he did? Who could stop him now?

“Mrrrah!”

Yomiel looked up. That sounded agitated and then he spotted Sissel by the globe climber. Sissel’s tail twitched as reached a paw toward a dangling abandoned scarf, but batted futilely at the air as it hung out of reach.

There was little thought here. Yomiel jumped into the ghost world. The path was simple enough: discarded can under the first ring, from there up to a frisbee balanced precariously part way up the climber, and then to the scarf itself.

He meant to simply loosen it and let it fall, but as it slipped further down at his nudging, Sissel snagged it in a paw and sent it waving. It went one way then swung back and he batted it again. It started to swing the other way and Yomiel stopped it. Sissel’s ear pricked and his eyes followed the scarf. Yomiel released the scarf only to catch it, so he could send it back in the opposite direction before Sissel could catch it. However, Sissel caught on to the tease quickly and was ready for that next swing. They batted it back and forth between them until Sissel grew bored and sat back.

Yomiel let the scarf slither down and jumped back to his body as Sissel wandered away toward the swing set. It had grown darker though he hadn’t noticed it from the ghost world. Of course that didn’t really matter, did it? Not to a cat and certainly not to a dead man.

With that thought Yomiel sunk onto one of the swings while Sissel weaved around the frame. Yomiel’s gaze drifted toward the direction of the fountain and the meteorite’s landing. What would this night have been like if that day hadn’t happened? He’d be at home. He’d be with her. They’d be inside, happy. Maybe speaking of their wedding to come. Maybe other things. There was a future there.

“Mrow.”

Yomiel looked around, only to realize the cat he was looking for on the ground had jumped into his lap. But, if that day hadn’t happened, what of Sissel here?

Sissel bumped his head against him and tried to nose into his jacket.

“What are you doing?”

Then he realized as Sissel tried to burrow into his jacket: _he_ didn’t notice or care, but it was late autumn, wasn’t it? It must be cold and just because he couldn’t feel it, didn’t mean Sissel didn’t.

“Sorry buddy. You’re not going to find any warmth here.” He’d sigh if he could, but he rubbed Sissel’s head. “Ready to go home, huh?”

He lifted Sissel, cradling him in his arms, and stood. It was time to go and the night hadn’t been a total waste. Here was one small creature to whom he was more than a mere shadow. Regardless of all else and the paths that awaited him, he would see Sissel taken care of.


End file.
